What does a typical day look like for you and what are you currently working on?
Typically I like to get up early and exercise before starting work - usually a 3 mile run (on the safety of a treadmill). This helps me feel ready for the day. The day can be very varied, sometimes early morning calls with resellers and customers in different time zones. The majority of the day is spent working with others - customers, staff, resellers, suppliers to ensure that everyday we are moving the company forward to the benefit of all stakeholders. I like to have some time, usually in the morning, to check through and amend the “To-Do-List” and I learnt early on it is important to have a “Not-To-Do-List” so you do not get distracted by things that won’t help progress.
Part of the 'to do' will be looking ahead and not just short term, making sure we are progressing Intoware forward to its vision and strategy. We are proud of where the product is now but we are excited about the future. We are currently looking at how AI can assist in working with WorkfloPlus to make it even more efficient and productive - while maintaining the compliance and audit needs. It always starts with data capture and WorkfloPlus captures data from the frontline. We see a future where that data (unique to each customer) can be put through machine learning and then work with AI to create a workflow in WorkfloPlus for the end worker to then run.
It is going to be exciting but the great thing about WorkfloPlus is that it gives immediate benefits so it has instant ROI and a first step on the journey.
What is on your wish list for your next five years here?
Apart from seeing Intoware continue to grow hand in hand with its customers - it would be nice to see Manchester United win the Premiership again.
So, as I have a great team around me then the former is certainly on the cards… the latter I am not so sure of.
What kind of skills do you need to be effective in your role?
Communication is the greatest skill needed and then finding and surrounding yourself with great people.
What do you like most about your job?
The variety, you cannot be sure what each day will bring and who you will be talking to next. You have to allow time to do the things you need to but you must provide time to deal with things that occur…and of course the satisfaction when things go well.
What’s your most memorable facepalm moment?
At my age - way too many but ..early on in my career I was giving a speech at a user conference to about 200 on the importance of data (it has always been key!) and I was talking about the need to secure the data. This was before “The Cloud” and how to decide frequency to backup and place the data in a suitable repository such as a data vault.
I kept getting a few funny looks throughout the speech and the odd smirk from those I could see in the front row.
I should point out I was not using autoqueue but had some bullet points on cards so I did not forget the key things I would say. Anyway when I came off one of my colleagues said “Did you realise that every time you were supposed to use the word repository you said suppository” Now that gave a whole new meaning to where you should store data !!
We have a tradition of having a joke of the week during our team catch up. In honour of this can you give us your favourite joke?
My parents managed bars and restaurants when I was young so here is a couple I heard that stay with me…. Short but made me smile at the time.
A horse walks into a bar. The server behind the bar says, Why the long face?
A couple walk into a bar. Ouch !!
What’s your favourite line from a film?
That’s a tough one…think I will have to go with one from my favourite film… but leave you to figure out the film.
“If that's what being crazy is, then I'm senseless, out of it, gone down the road, whacko.”
And if I am allowed a line from a recent song, then that is for Hilary, who has supported me and the twins every day over the years.
“Can you come around and rescue me? How blessed I am, your love to receive”
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